The invention generally relates to a tool holder for conveniently storing and arranging tools in a workshop, janitor's closet, and the like. More specifically, the invention relates to a tool holder that permits quick insert and quick release of the handle of a tool and which may be operated with just one hand.
In particular, the invention is very useful for the storage and accessibility of janitorial tools, such as brooms, brushes, mops, and the like, to aid in the efficient operation by building maintenance crews.
Conventional tool holders employ spring clamps, rubber wedge-shaped grips for resiliently receiving a tool handle, and also wire loop-type holders. One disadvantage is that generally only one size tool handle can be accommodated by these devices. Smaller sizes cannot be tightly held and larger sizes often overextend the holding portions to the point of being unusable thereafter. Typically, the clamp-type or wedge-type holding devices require a janitor, for example, to force the handle into the resilient grip of the holder by pushing it in a direction toward the wall on which the tool holder is mounted. Generally both hands are needed to be used to effectively engage the tool handle with the holder.
Spring biased locking clamps for tubular members and the like have sometimes employed a mechanical grip that is controlled by a cooperative coiled spring, as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,563,040 issued to Junkunc and 2,467,842 issued to Marx. Canted washer-like disks that frictionally grip a movably adjustable slide tube, when urged into an oblique angle relative to the tube, are also well known to the art; examples of these are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,806,723 issued to Fairclough and 2,703,690 issued to Petrick et al.
Permanent peripheral clamp disks that annularly grip around an item are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,798,748 issued to Moore where a bowed clamping disk encircles a tube, or the like, and is thereafter urged into a flat shape to provide a non-releasable permanent attachment as a substitute for conventional lock keys on a shaft. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,007,726 issued to Parkin, a fastener similar to the device disclosed in Pat. No. 2,798,748 is shown, but includes two sets of tongues: one set of tongues bites into a cavity wall of a holder ferrule; and, a central aperture has another set of tongues to grip an inserted item, such as an end of a rod or the like. The devices disclosed by Parkin and Moore are not releasable and are intended to prevent withdrawal of the fastened item.
Another use of a flexible disk is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,680 issued to Schlegel et al. In this apparatus, a support tube is vertically adjustable and arranged within a guide tube for attachment to a work bench. Flexible disks hold a cylinder within a tube sleeve in non-positive contact with the sleeve so that there is movable frictional contact with the wall of the sleeve in order to act as a guiding disk structure. None of the known prior art provides for a quick insert and quick release tool holder that offers a resilient friction holder exerting inward radial force to grip a tool handle. Further, heretofore none has shown the quick releasability in such a device wherein a release tube may be activated to widen a flexed gripping aperture to abate an inward radial force and thereby release the tool holder. The prior art devices have failed to attain the advantage of permitting the user to facilitate an efficient quick insert and quick release requiring the use of only one hand.
In overcoming the problems found in the prior art, it would be desirable to provide a tool holder that can accommodate tool handles of various sizes.
It would be a further advantage if the tool holder could be operated by just one hand leaving the other hand free.
It would be very beneficial to provide a tool holder that can be used for not just heavy brooms and mops, but also may be used for other smaller tools as well.
It would be a further benefit to provide a tool holder that requires only a simple upward movement on the tool handle to resiliently engage the tool in place.
It would be additionally advantageous for a homeowner to have a tool holder that may be made to include an outwardly pleasing design and appearance, so that one or more tool holders might be used in a broom closet, workroom, garage wall or laundry room, where a certain degree of neatness and aesthetically pleasing appearances are often sought for organizing household equipment.
The present invention solves these problems, and achieves its desired results, by the provision of a tool holder that has a canister-like housing conformation with a downwardly open receiving aperture for the entrance of the end of a tool handle for the support thereof. A convenient release lock lever extends from the canister whereby the user may release a tool with just one hand so that the tool handle may be gripped with the fingers while the thumb operates the release mechanism when the tool is needed to be released for use.
The tool holder may be briefly summarized as comprising an upper bonnet with an interior chamber. The bonnet attaches to a lower body having a downwardly open bore. A resilient friction holder for gripping a tool handle is clamped against a support ring by the thread-engagement of the bonnet attaching to the lower body. An axially moving release tube is supported by the support ring but is upwardly movable by a pivotable release member that is arranged with a downwardly extending arm. The arm extends below the body facilitating operation by the user's hand by means of simply pressing the thumb against the arm connecting the release member. The resilient friction holder has a central aperture, preferably with radial slits extending therefrom. Upon the receipt therethrough of an upwardly moved tool handle, the aperture distends and grips around the tool handle. The release tube cooperates with the resilient friction holder and is capable of being driven upwardly thereagainst by the pivoting of the pivotable release member to expand the aperture and release the grip around the tool handle.
At an upper region of the interior chamber of the bonnet a cushion stop is arranged to be abutted by the end of an inserted tool handle so that damage is avoided and whereby the janitor can feel when the tool handle is fully engaged.